Welcome back, Escapists! Today we’re tackling 55-41 on our top 100 Pokemon countdown. Today, some of my personal favorites will be covered – including a few that I would have placed higher, but it’s a collaborative effort and I’m just glad they made it at all. Today, we’ll be looking at some that are electrifying, some that are legendary, some that are just plain cute, and one of the most versatile Pokemon in the game.
55. Darkrai
Darkrai is the Freddy Kruger of the Pokemon world – able to inhabit dreams, as well as cause its foes to suffer from unending nightmares. It’s incredibly fast, and also has exclusive access to Dark Void, which causes other Pokemon to fall asleep. In order to, you know, inhabit their dreams. Short story: if you see one, run – if you can.
54. Ho-Oh
Don’t be fooled by the rainbows – the “guardian of the skies” can deal, and take, some serious damage. Ho-Oh was also the first Generation II Pokemon to be introduced to franchise fans, appearing in the very first episode of the anime.
53. Jolteon
This spiky Eeveelution is electrifying. It’s as cute as its predecessor while being just intimidating enough to make foes question engagement – and with good reason. Jolteon is super fast, and plenty capable.
52. Vaporeon
We’ve got another -eon for you! Vaporeon is awesome – it can breathe on land or in the sea, and may be the only time we ever witness such harmony between cats and fish. It can also melt into water, making it virtually undetectable while it’s swimming.
51. Haunter
BOO! Haunter is one of the best ghost types in the game – probably because he actually is a ghost. Back in my day, when Pluto was a planet and Justin Bieber didn’t exist yet, Haunter was a tough competitor, simply because there weren’t many types that stood a chance against these spookies.
50. Zubat
It is impossible – yes, I’m saying it, impossible – to complete a playthrough without encountering somewhere around 100,000 of these creatures. Zubats are everywhere. They’re also super fast, so you’re getting into battles every two steps in a cave and can’t even successfully flee half the time. Get one of these speedy heathens with Confuse Ray and you’re in pretty good shape.
49. Porygon
Porygon, the man-made Pokemon that is 100% computer generated yet still manages to have a weight. A lot of people probably looked at Porygon as a hard-to-get novelty, but at higher levels it can be a force.
48. Bulbasaur
Here it is! It’s number one, coming in at number 48. Bulbasaur is one of the most recognizable Pokemon – not only is it one of the originals, it’s the first Pokemon, #001 in the Pokedex. It’s cute and sweet, but also plenty capable in battle.
47. Entei
Entei is one of the Legendary beasts – and looks every bit the part. Known as the Volcano Pokemon – VOLCANO POKEMON – with a head resembling a Samurai helmet. It’s a cool design, a cool story, and an all around cool Pokemon.
46. Zapdos
One of Pokemon Red and Blue’s original trio of legendary birds, Zapdos’ design is the perfect reflection of its electrical nature. With a flap of its wings, it releases enough electricity that it can easily summon thunderstorms.
45. Psyduck
Poor Psyduck – it really is a tragic story. I liked Psyduck when it was just charmingly dopey. But then I found out that the species suffers from severe headaches, and spends the majority of its energy – physical and mental – trying to combat them. Misty’s Psyduck is the most charming of them all – it doesn’t like being in its Poke Ball, and frequently pops out for funsies – including during battles, and occasionally just in time to play the unlikely hero when its friends have been captured. I really do love these little guys.
44. Blaziken
The phrase “fight fire with fire” takes on a new meaning with Blaziken, considering it’s a dual-type Fire and Fighting Pokemon. I’m not entirely sure what chickens have to do with either fighting or fire, but its design is forgivable when it starts kicking with flames.
43. Wobbuffet
This weirdo is super docile and doesn’t attack first. But it’s weirdly protective of its tail and will turn crazy aggressive if the tail, which appears to have eyes, is attacked. So what’s with the tail? Is it the key to an alternate universe? A captive Unown that suddenly makes that species somehow interesting? Or is the TAIL actually Wobbuffet, and the creepy blue irrationally happy creature it’s attached to is just a decoy? Yea, Wobbuffet is only on this list for the mystery. Now, discuss.
42. Pidgeot
I loved Pidgeot, but mainly because I didn’t have a different, cooler choice at the time – Pidgeot is the final form of one of the first available creatures to be caught in the wild in Red and Blue. While other, better birds have since come along, you never really forget your first, amirite?
41. Ditto
Having Ditto, aka Love Machine, is like having a near-perfect copy of every Pokemon. Dittos can transform into nearly every other Pokemon – but more than that, it can also breed with almost any Pokemon. What a stud!
Previous Days:
Numbers 100-86
Numbers 85-71
Numbers 70-56
Check back tomorrow when we continue the countdown with numbers 40 to 26.
Published: Feb 24, 2016 05:00 pm